Indonesia-Korea Strategic Collaboration Accelerates Energy Transition Through Biomass

The partnership between PT PLN Energi Primer Indonesia (PLN EPI) and Greenery Inc. from South Korea in early January 2026 marks a new chapter in Indonesia’s ambition to lead the global bioenergy market. This collaboration is more than just a signature on paper; it is a concrete step toward transforming agricultural residues—previously dismissed as waste—into “green gold” supporting the national power grid.

Indonesia-South Korea Synergy for Global Supply Chains

This cooperation unites two major strengths: Indonesia’s abundant biomass resources and South Korea’s expertise in low-carbon technology consulting. The primary focus is to strengthen the sustainable biomass supply chain, which has long been the greatest challenge in power plant co-firing programs.

Key Pillars of the Collaboration:

• Technology Transfer & Research: Involving Greenery Inc. and BRIN to develop low-carbon technologies, standardized emission measurement systems, and biomass product optimization.

• Cross-Border Carbon Mechanisms: Exploring international cooperation opportunities in emission reduction, potentially opening new revenue streams through the carbon economy.

• Infrastructure Strengthening: Optimizing existing power plant infrastructure to directly absorb bioenergy without the need to build new plants from scratch.

Multi-Sector Benefits

Hokkop Situngkir, Director of Bioenergy at PLN EPI, emphasized that bioenergy is a long-term strategy. The benefits generated from this cooperation cover four crucial aspects:

1. Operational & Energy Benefits: By strengthening the supply chain, co-firing programs (substituting coal with biomass) can operate more stably. This helps PLN achieve fossil fuel substitution targets gradually toward the 2030 Enhanced NDC goals.

2. Economic Benefits & Waste Downstreaming: Agricultural residues will no longer be discarded or burned in vain. This collaboration ensures agricultural waste gains high economic value, creating new markets for farmers and bioenergy industry players in rural areas. Indonesia has the potential to become a global model for an integrated carbon economy.

3. Environmental Benefits (NZE 2060): Joint research with BRIN will yield accurate emission measurement systems. This ensures that every grain of biomass burned truly contributes to a measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in line with global climate targets.

4. Social & Health Benefits: Seijin Kim, representing Greenery Inc., highlighted that this project touches upon public health and local community development through cleaner environmental management and job creation in remote regions.

Toward Energy Independence

This collaboration proves that Indonesia holds extraordinary appeal in the eyes of the international community regarding energy transition. With a potential of 83.4 million tons of biomass per year, the presence of technological partners like Greenery Inc. accelerates our transition from “potential” to “reality.”

Opportunities for the Younger Generation

This partnership opens massive opportunities in the fields of Digital Sustainability and Green Engineering. Young Indonesians are expected to take roles in:

• Developing digital-based tracking systems for the biomass supply chain.

• Conducting innovative research to increase the caloric quality of biomass from local waste.

• Becoming carbon economy consultants capable of negotiating Indonesia’s carbon credits in international markets.

The synergy between PLN EPI and Greenery Inc. is clear evidence that energy transition is not just about replacing cables and machines—it is about building an economic ecosystem that empowers farmers and preserves the Earth.